Originally posted by Packman V2Does anyone know the procedure or what's involved with picking a new pope??

It takes place at the Vatican of course. A group of Cardinals vote on a potential new pope. A new pope needs 2/3 of the vote (I think.) At the end of each day of voting, either black or white smoke is sent up from the Vatican. Black smoke maens that they don't have a new pope chosen, white means that they do.

That's what I remember from Catholic High School(and being 5 years old when John Paul II was selected,) I could be missing a few aspects.

They need to keep the hammer. The hammer makes it worthwhile. And, not to be morbid, but anyone taking odds on how long it takes for the broken papal seal to end up on E-Bay?

Interesting article. Essentially before Oct. 16, 70/109 people have to agree on the pope for someone to be elected. I don't pay a whole lot of attention to the Vatican, but I'm guessing there's a frontrunner out of the group of Cardinals.

I remember hearing somewhere some scuttlebutt about the next possible Pope...while there's strong pressure for an Italian successor to John Paul II (the first non-Italian Pope in 455 years), there's also a school pushing for the first-ever African Pope, to help spread Catholicism on that continent.

"Last Rites" is the term often used to describe the Sacrament of "Annoiting of the Sick", because it is commonly administered to people who are dying. However, it can also be administered to those who are goign to have a serious operation or those who are very ill. Our friend Karol has received the Sacrament before (after he got shot), so maybe if it's the Lord's Will he'll pull out of this one as well.

He is a role model for me. A role model for many others. And I pray that the Lord continues to bless him and keep him safe.

I find it oddly coincidental that the Pope and Frank Perdue died on the same day.

It reminds me of the story of when the two of them met years ago. Frank Perdue had offered to contribute $50 million to the church if the Pope would agree to slightly change the words to the Lord's prayer to "give us this day our daily chicken" The pontiff told him, sorry, no can do. Perdue, being the shrewd businessman, increased his offer to $100 million, and again was turned down, and then turned down again at $500 million.

One morning shortly thereafter, the Pope gathered his cardinals together, and announced he had some good news and some bad news. The good news was, the Church would be accepting a billion dollar donation from Mr. Perdue. The bad news was, they were going to lose the Wonder Bread account.

Am I the only one on this board that has kinda been wishing him to pass for a few weeks/months now? Just based on the fact that this guy is just falling apart and I hate seeing him in this state? Wishing he recovers from this isn't gonna extend his life more than a few days or weeks at the most anyway. His time has come, and I hope he goes peacefully.

I was considering beginning a campain for my own nomination. Food, lodging, travel, the PopeMobile....and then I realized that not only would I have to move from New Jersey, but I would never get Christmas and Easter off for pretty much the rest of my life...

Originally posted by El Nastio"Last Rites" is the term often used to describe the Sacrament of "Annoiting of the Sick", because it is commonly administered to people who are dying. However, it can also be administered to those who are goign to have a serious operation or those who are very ill. Our friend Karol has received the Sacrament before (after he got shot), so maybe if it's the Lord's Will he'll pull out of this one as well.

He is a role model for me. A role model for many others. And I pray that the Lord continues to bless him and keep him safe.

To follow up, Annointing of the Sick is given to anyone suffering health problems, so it's not an indication that someone is even necessarily near death. What was more telling was that the Pope received Holy Viaticum, which is communion given to those in the most serious of conditions. Only someone truly on death's doorstep would receive Holy Viaticum.

PopeWatch '05 Continues. If there was a good thing about Ronald Reagan having alzheimers and being a recluse the last years of his life, at least it meant there was no ReaganWatch '04 coverage before his death. At the rate cable 'news' is going through guests, one producer at some point is going to combine the Pope being Polish and the hammer being used to determine his death as justification for the Ivan Putski to appear to discuss his use of the 'Polish Hammer'. And, if the Pope dies late Sunday afternoon, does Vince use the death of the Pope as an excuse if Mania's buyrate is low?